Giardia

azbackpackr · Posted: 4/24/2006, 4:59 am Post subject:

Bummer! I've heard it's no fun at all. I also hear that where I'm going, Grand Gulch, in 10 days has skanky water, so I'm taking filter AND bleach. Plus plenty of fuel to boil!

Get well soon!

Shawn · Posted: 4/24/2006, 6:40 am Post subject:

I've often thought it would make a good BackPacker article to set up at a popular trail head, and take samples of people's drinking water as they come out. Some place where the hikers have been in a few days or more. Then test the water for purity and any nasties that might be in it, even after treatment. It would be interesting to see just how effective the filters/chemicals are, and how effective water handling habits are.

Maybe I'll do that in my spare time.
_________________
The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

sredfield, That's an interesting angle. For some reason, on this past trip I was very conscience of it when my outlet hose bumped into a wet inlet hose and I also wondered just how isolated my outlet/drinking side filter hose was from the rest of the filter when I stuffed into a flimsy bag inside the bigger bag. All the years I backpacked before I never used soap to wash dishes, I just rinsed 'cause I would boil in that pot the next time I used it; I've also always just rinsed the lid if I thought it needed it and covered my boiling pot with it thinking steam would do the trick. I don't know what I did but I'm paying for it. Funny, I've taken water out of creeks and rivers hundreds and hundreds of times. Maybe it was just my turn.
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir

Shawn · Posted: 4/24/2006, 8:11 pm Post subject:

For all ya know, it could have been something you ate after you got home. Bummer experience but better than coming down with it 2 days from the TH.
_________________
The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

I'm glad it didn't happen on the trail either but Giardia seldom hits on the trail unless one is out for a very long time.
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir